Weekly Email Update 8-14-17

Weekly Email Update 8-14-17

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference."Elie Wiesel

Love can be stronger than hate -- but only if we show up. In light of the white supremacist rally yesterday in Charlottesville, Virginia let us come together and stand with those on the front lines of this hate. Together we can shape the narrative of this country. We implore you to do your absolute best to attend a vigil or rally despite what your Sunday plans may have been. Here is a current list of events happening tomorrow in and around Windham County. We hope to see you there. Your presence matters.

All listings below are happening TODAY, SUNDAY, AUGUST 13th, 2017

1) Join the Local Love Brigade Gathering to send love postcards to the Charlottesville chapters of the NAACP and Black Lives Matter and beyond.Brattleboro Museum and Art Center (10 Vernon Rd. Brattleboro, VT). 11:30am-1:30pm. Let's send them a wave of love even more powerful than hate that's been exposed. If you can't make it, you can send postcards on your own. Here are two key addresses:Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP & Black Lives Matter CharlottesvilleP.O. Box 1522 Charlottesville, VA. 22902

4) Western Mass Stands with Charlottesville, Sunday, August 13th, 2017, Northampton City Hall, (210 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060). 7pm-8pm. White supremacy and fascism have no place on this earth. Community members, leftists, and anti-fascist organizers have been countering a massive far-right mobilization in Charlottesville, VA. They have been facing far-right terror and violence to defend Charlottesville, with at least IWW member dead. Mourn for dead, fight like hell for the living. Come together to say no to white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, and fascism.

5) Rutland Stands with Charlottesville Main Street Park in Rutland City (pending approval from the Rutland Recreation Department whose personnel have been quite helpful). 6pm - 7pm Stand with Charlottesville, stand against hate. Monday, August 14th at 6 PM, the Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP will organize a solidarity rally and vigil to protest the hate groups that infiltrated UVA this weekend. So far, the event at UVA has left one dead and 19 injured, and many more scared for their lives and general safety, including many of us in Vermont. We will overcome, love will win, and bigotry will not be tolerated. Please join us."

7) Keene Stands with Charlottesville, Central Square, Keene, NH 03431. 2:00 PM. Love can be stronger than hate -- but only if we show up. Join us to stand with American against racism and for the brave anti-racism allies in Charlottesville.

8)Stand Against Hate. Field Park, Williamstown, MA 01267. 3:30pm. Please come in large numbers and stand in solidarity to use our voices against hate. If this is your first foray into activism, it doesn't matter. If you've never been to a Greylock Together meeting, it doesn't matter. If you're watching our country being torn apart by violent white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, VA today and know this is not the country you thought you lived in, join the majority and stand with us tomorrow. Bring signs, bring friends, bring hope, bring PEACE. Thank you for spreading the word. From one of our Greylock Together leaders: "They are literal Nazis, and they are here, and this is real, and we are the ones who have been called upon to stop them. We are standing in solidarity with Charlottesville. Join us."

You are invited to participate in Edible Brattleboro’s Share the Harvest stand where we will be sharing produce from our gardens as well as donated produce from local farmers and gardeners. The stand is set up at the Elliot Street Park every Sunday from 11am - 1pm; rain location - in front of Experienced Goods / Transportation Center on Flat Street. Everything is available to the community at no cost.

We are happy to accept your donations from your garden - please drop off your surplus to our stand on Sundays as close to 11amas possible. We also need volunteers to keep this going throughout the season. Please visit http://signup.com/go/GmYCbae to sign up for a spot. It’s real easy to sign up, and your contact information is never shared. We need teams of two to glean at the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays or to operate the stand on Sundays. Brief descriptions of the tasks are on the sign-up site, and complete directions are provided via email. Brattleboro Time Traders can earn hours, too!

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Local Love Brigade: Postcard-Making GatheringSunday, August 13th at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (10 Vernon St, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 11:30am-1:30pm.Join the Local Love Brigade! Drop by BMAC and make postcards to send out in an avalanche of love to support victims of hate. You will be part of a movement that has begun to illuminate the power of fierce love. There will be refreshments and plenty of materials to make a card. All are welcome.Also, the brand new Local Love Brigade bumper stickers are in and they'll be at the gathering, available to purchase for $3. Love is on the move!http://www.brattleboromuseum.org/2017/06/17/postcard-party-with-vts-local-love-brigade-2/

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The Putney Huddle Meeting and Solidarity Vigil Sunday, August 13th, 2017 at the Putney Public Library (55 Main St, Putney, VT 05346). 1:30pm-3:30pm. RSVP HERE.The Putney Huddle invites you to join us at our Sunday, August 13th meeting with State Treasurer, Beth Pearce followed by a Solidarity Vigil with those in Charlottesville, VA. It will take place at the Putney Public Library from 1:30-3:30. Because of limited time we are asking that you email any questions you may already have for her in advance to Theputneyhuddle@gmail.com.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK MONDAY, AUGUST 14TH, 2017-SUNDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2017

Vermont Workers’ Center Organizing Committee MeetingTuesday, August 15th, 2017 at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio for the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6pm-8pm. Doors open at 5:45pm. The Root is nut-free and fragrance-free.Thanks to the 500 people who submitted public comments to the Green Mountain Care Board, the health insurers received lower premium hike than they requested. However, in the case of Blue Cross customers especially, the 9.2% increase that the Board approved will make insurance unaffordable for many. At this week’s organizing committee meeting we’ll be meeting with some local nurses and also talking about an upcoming health screening clinic and letter-writing party. Join the movement for publicly funded universal healthcare, and let’s get the insurance companies out of the picture. For more info e-mail windham@workerscenter.org or phone 802-257-4336 or just show up on Tuesday evening’s Organizing Committee meeting.

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Protest Vigil at TD Banksponsored by Post Oil SolutionsFriday, August 18th, 2017 (and every Friday)in front of TD Bank Brattleboro (215 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 12pm-1pm.Signs will be providedTD is a major investor in Tar Sands. TD helps to fund the Dakota Access Pipeline. The State of Vermont Keeps Most of Our Cash in TD.What You Can You Do (besides attending the vigils):If you’re a TD depositor, change banks!If you’re a Vermonter, demand that state funds not be deposited with a bank investing in fossil fuels.Contact your state legislators to support the bills in the House & Senate calling for a commission to explore the possibility of a State Bank.Founded in 2005, Post Oil Solutions is a 501c3 community organizing project in Southeastern Vermont whose mission is to help empower the people of the Central Connecticut River Valley bioregion to develop sustainable, resilient , collaborative, and socially just communities leading to a self- and community-sufficient post petroleum society. For more information please contact bereal@vermontel.net or 802.869.2141

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A Meditative Vigil of Lovingkindness: A Silent Vigilsponsored by Post Oil SolutionsFriday, August 18th, 2017 at Wells Fountain (Main Street in Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.Please join us in providing a meditative presence for the loving, compassionate society we are seeking. All are welcome to join us for a few minutes or for the entire hour. The vigil will be held under a banner that reads “May All Beings Be Free Of Pain And Suffering, May All Beings Know Peace And Happiness.” All too often, when we become caught up in the evil and negativity of our world, we can lose sight of the importance of expressing and simply being our inherent heart values that are the basis of the wholesome society we want to live in.Although silent, our Vigil of Lovingkindness is intended to give voice to these values and to speak up for them. It hopefully will remind us that as important as it is to resist the pain and suffering that human beings inflict on each other, it is equally important to be creating the caring alternative at the same time .We will stand, sit or kneel. Please bring a chair, cushion, mat, or whatever you are comfortable with. For further information, or if you wish to be part of a contact list that will inform people of future Lovingkind Vigils, please forward your name, e-mail address, and phone number to: bereal@vermontel.net or 802.869.2141

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Share the Harvest Stand sponsored by Edible BrattleboroSunday, August 20th, 2017 at the Elliott Street Park (on Elliot Street in Brattleboro, VT, 05301) from 11am-1pm.You are invited to participate in Edible Brattleboro’s Share the Harvest stand where we will be sharing produce from our gardens as well as donated produce from local farmers and gardeners. The stand is set up at the Elliot Street Park every Sunday from 11am - 1pm; rain location - in front of Experienced Goods / Transportation Center on Flat Street. Everything is available to the community at no cost. We are happy to accept your donations from your garden - please drop off your surplus to our stand on Sundays as close to 11amas possible. We also need volunteers to keep this going throughout the season. Please visit http://signup.com/go/GmYCbae to sign up for a spot. It’s real easy to sign up, and your contact information is never shared. We need teams of two to glean at the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays or to operate the stand on Sundays. Brief descriptions of the tasks are on the sign-up site, and complete directions are provided via email. Brattleboro Time Traders can earn hours, too!

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Climate Change Café: A Community of Concerned Citizens “We the People 2.0”a project of Post Oil SolutionsTuesday, August 22nd, 2017 at Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 6pm. FREE. Light Refreshments AvailableA New Democracy Movement Is Building, Elevating Community And Natures Rights Over Corporate “Rights.” This excellent film is a visual essay about the loss of democracy in the United States, and how people are taking it back. It describes a profound change in thinking at the grassroots level where people are building a movement, not just in this country, but around the world. It shows how and where it all began.This event is a great lead-in to the Community Rights Awareness Workshop by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) that Post Oil Solutions and Rights and Democracy will sponsor on Sunday, September 10, @ the Brattleboro Food Co-op, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.For more information please contact802.869.2141 or bereal@vermontel.net.

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The Healthcare Movie: Viewing and Discussion Monday August 28th, 2017 at the Putney Public Library (55 Main St, Putney, VT 05346). 6pm-9pm.Marvin Malik, MD of the Vermont chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)will attend and facilitate discussion afterward.This documentary provides the real story of how the health care systems in Canada and the United States evolved to be so completely different, when at one point they were essentially the same. Most people under the age of 50, in both countries, are not aware of the intensity of the political struggle that led to the universal medical care system in Canada. Nor are they aware of the public relations campaigns, still active today, that have been prevalent in the United States since the early 1900’s to dissuade the public from supporting national health care.Produced by Canadian/American couple Laurie Simons and Terry Sterrenberg, The Healthcare Movie reveals the personal and emotional impact on Canadians who now have access to universal health care because of the heroism of people who took a stand nearly 50 years ago. It also reveals the continuing struggle in the United States between the fear of government intervention and the right to quality health care for all people.Every day people are dying or going bankrupt due to the ills of the United States system. Who are we in the face of this human tragedy? If you agree that people are more important than profits, then you must watch this film.

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Community Rights Awareness Workshoppresented by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) and sponsored by Post Oil Solutions & Rights and DemocracySunday, September 10th, 2017 at the Brattleboro Food Coop (2 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301) in the Community Room (please use the entrance at 7 Canal Street). 10am-1pm. FREE, but registration required: bereal@vermontel.net. Refreshments will be provided.In this workshop, we take an in-depth look at how political and legal structures have been set up to protect the interests of an elite wealthy minority, at the expense of the majority of people and community self-government. We’ll look at how corporations have received more rights and protections than real people living in communities. Most importantly, we’ll look at how communities have pushed back against these oppressive structures to reclaim democratic self-government in their communities, and at the state level with a proposed Community Rights Amendment.

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STANDING REGULAR MEETINGS

350Brattleboro Regular Meetings350 Brattleboro will be taking a break from our regular schedule for July and August. We will return to our regular meeting times from September onwards. To be kept in the loop follow us at facebook.com/350brattleboro and sign up for our email list by emailing brattleboro@350vt.org. Thanks!

Childcare as a Radical Act: Sign up to Provide Childcare! The Family Solidarity Action Network is moving forward with their next big effort to support families in local activism: a collective of folks to provide childcare for local activist meetings or events. If you or someone you know would be able and willing to offer childcare (as a volunteer, or paid) for meetings and events please fill out this spreadsheet:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YGVI8wECe4ZDdghtAG147j7ktwgB_J5ZoWUPkwGrOhM/edit#gid=0We are looking for people young and old with varying degrees of experience. Having a large pool of people to call on will make it much easier for organizers to arrange childcare for meetings, allowing for more voices of families with young children to participate in local activism! We will then be making this list available to other local organizations so we can be sure that childcare doesn't have to be a barrier to participation for anyone.

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VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

Sister District SisterDistrict is an organization that connects you with your local home district team to work on Sister Races in Virginia, Washington State, and Georgia. The goal? To turn Red states Blue. Support these critical races by donating to them and sharing about them on social media. Or, get in on the fun by joining your local district team for even more action items! Here is an update from the Vermont district team:SisterDistrict SoupWe have made a few changes to our SisterDistrict Soup project and will be offering a monthly soup subscription to benefit either SisterDistrict directly or our current candidate (subscriber's choice). Please help us by sharing this link with friends and family who may be interested in subscribing or volunteering to help make or sell soup:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfU1Vv1oJRgTBATJ8TTp8vHUaGFIz0coVCVe28gYVOrK9K-BQ/viewform?c=0&w=1(NOTE: for more information please email svtsisterdistrict@gmail.com or diane.shamas@gmail.com. In addition to raising money to help get our nation onto a better trajectory, we are also committed to providing you the most delicious and locally-sourced soup that we can. Vegetarian, gluten- and dairy-free options will be available. There is no reason that you can't eat well and resist at the same time!

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Exchange Student Hosts WantedPAX (Program of Academic Exchange Vermont) is looking for families who are interested in hosting a high school exchange student for Brattleboro HS and Bellows Falls for the upcoming school year. Clara is one such student, a 15 year old girl from Spin whose interests include skiing, scouting and gymnastics. Could you open your home to one of these students?Host families come in all shapes and sizes - they represent the diversity of American culture, with varied economic, religious and racial backgrounds. Among those who truly enjoy the exchange experience are parents looking to give their families a glimpse of the world and introduce them to new customs and cultures, without having to travel the globe.Many of our host families do not have high school age children, while others have adult children who no longer live at home. They say that hosting an exchange student gives them an opportunity to enrich their own lives and connect with their community in a whole new way.If you've considered hosting but have questions, please contact Kimberly at keckhardt08@gmail.com or 802-824-3792.

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ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING

Indigo RadioSundays at 12pm on Brattleboro Community Radio 107.7FMTo stream live: Visit www.wvew.org Indigo Radio, deepening understanding and making connections!IndigoRadio is a group of area educators seeking to learn through engaging with others in our community and throughout the world. We will be talking about educational and social issues both globally and locally and connecting them to our lives and Brattleboro community.Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoradiowvew/For archive recordings of past shows: https://soundcloud.com/user-654648353

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With the events of this week, WeCAN would just like to take this opportunity to remind you that you are loved, you matter, and your actions will shape the future of our nation. Stand up, speak out, be brave.